Organization History

2001

  • The Board of Directors hires Dr. James R. Kimmey as MFH's first President and Chief Executive Officer of MFH.

2002

  • MFH awards its first round of grants, totaling more than $9.6 million, to nearly 80 health-focused nonprofits.

2003

  • In just one year of funding, MFH distributes more than $32.5 million in grants.
  • MFH hosts its first annual Health Summit, which addresses health disparities.

2004

  • In response to Missouri’s high rates of smoking and related illness, MFH launches a $40 million, nine-year Tobacco Prevention & Cessation Initiative.

2005

  • MFH presents its second Health Summit, titled "Weighing in on Children's Obesity: Strategies That Work." The summit highlights obesity as one of the most serious – and preventable – causes of illness and death among Missourians.
  • MFH launches its second long-term funding initiative, Healthy & Active Communities, aimed at combating obesity in Missouri.

2006

  • A series of new funding efforts is added to MFH’s grantmaking portfolio. They target additional health issues identified by the Board – oral health, diabetes, health literacy, and mental health and substance abuse.
  • MFH hosts its third Health Summit, addressing access to health care for people living in rural areas.
  • MFH's total grantmaking since 2002 tops $200 million.

2007

  • MFH's largest single grant to date – $11 million – enables 30,000 girls and women to receive the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to help prevent cervical cancer.
  • MFH hosts its fourth Health Summit, titled "The Intersection of Health and Business."
  • MFH provides a total of $13.1 million to 84 Missouri health departments so they can improve delivery of services.
  • Through a $4.75 milion grant, MFH helps fund a statewide 2-1-1 program, a hotline providing information on community services for individuals and families.

2008

  • Combatting violence against women is the subject of both a new grant program and MFH’s 2008 Health Summit.
  • MFH launches Cover Missouri, a project to provide policymakers, community leaders and the public with information and resources to increase the number of Missourians with quality, affordable health insurance coverage.
  • A county-level study funded by MFH reveals a majority of Missouri smokers want to quit, and nearly 56 percent support local laws prohibiting smoking indoors. The survey is the state’s first-ever comprehensive county-level study of tobacco use and related health problems in Missouri counties.
  • MFH’s total grantmaking since 2002 reaches the $300 million mark.

2009

  • MFH updates two publications that detail the health disparities of Missouri's African-American and Hispanic populations in comparison to the white population. Areas examined include socioeconomic factors, maternal and child health, communicable diseases, sexually transmitted diseases, injuries treated in hospitals, emergency room visits and deaths.
  • The 2009 Health Summit focuses on health care workforce development and retention.

2010

  • MFH receives its first-ever federal grant, which comes through the Social Innovation Fund program, MFH uses the $2 million grant, plus a matching amount of its own funds, to create the Social Innovation for Missouri (SIM) program to expand efforts to reduce obesity and tobacco use in Missouri. Through SIM, MFH is able to make grants to Missouri nonprofits outside its established service region.
  • MFH launches the MoCAP program to improve Missouri nonprofits’ ability to apply for and receive federal grant money.
  • Following announcement of Dr. James R. Kimmey’s retirement at the end of 2011, the Board begins its search for a new president and chief executive officer.

2011

  • MFH’s total grantmaking since 2002 tops the $400 million mark.
  • Following a strategic planning process, MFH announces a new grantmaking structure. The new structure moves away from defining grant programs by specific health areas, and toward broader support of individual communities’ needs. Funding under the new plan is expected to begin in 2012-2013.
  • MFH’s Board selects Robert G. Hughes, Ph.D., as the next president and chief executive officer, beginning in November.
  • MFH funds a follow-up survey to its 2007 County-Level Study on tobacco use and related health conditions. Its purpose is to help the health care community better understand Missourians’ needs in the areas of tobacco education, prevention and cessation.